Cost of Living Comparison Between Jaco Beach and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Jaco Beach and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,344 in Jaco Beach versus $1,481 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,155 in Jaco Beach versus $2,352 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,967 in Jaco Beach versus $3,222 in Mexico City.

Living in Jaco Beach costs roughly 9% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Jaco Beach 1% above, Mexico City 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.19 ₡3,242

$13.16 MX$230

-45.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.16 ₡18.1K

$53.6 MX$938

-25.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.88 ₡4,006

$9.55 MX$167

-7.02%

Cappuccino

$3.86 ₡1,740

$3.72 MX$65.2

3.76%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 ₡711

$1.57 MX$27.45

0.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₡449

$1.16 MX$20.25

-14.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 ₡1,322

$3.18 MX$55.8

-7.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 ₡1,304

$4.63 MX$81.1

-37.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 ₡628

$1.71 MX$29.87

-18.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 ₡894

$2.62 MX$45.83

-24.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 ₡971

$1.89 MX$33.08

13.76%

Eggs

$2.43 ₡1,095

$2.60 MX$45.46

-6.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.04 ₡4,527

$9.91 MX$174

1.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.30 ₡3,745

$8.22 MX$144

0.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.76 ₡4,853

$11.78 MX$206

-8.66%

Apples (1kg)

$4.56 ₡2,057

$3.00 MX$52.5

52.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 ₡648

$1.80 MX$31.52

-20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.29 ₡1,936

$2.07 MX$36.32

107.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.11 ₡1,404

$1.97 MX$34.45

57.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 ₡608

$2.07 MX$36.29

-34.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 ₡608

$2.17 MX$38.08

-37.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 ₡411

$1.40 MX$24.57

-35.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ₡783

$1.07 MX$18.82

62.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.33 ₡2,406

$4.12 MX$72.1

29.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.16 ₡6,387

$17.42 MX$305

-18.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₡1,054

$1.68 MX$29.35

39.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 ₡877

$3.65 MX$63.9

-46.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 ₡457

$0.38 MX$6.66

165.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.71 MX$328

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.86 ₡839

$1.33 MX$23.28

39.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.79 ₡806

$0.30 MX$5.31

496.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 ₡3,474

$5.51 MX$96.6

39.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ₡638

$1.31 MX$22.87

7.63%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$37.6K ₡17.0M

$19.2K MX$335.7K

96.26%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$32.8K ₡14.8M

$23.7K MX$415.9K

38.17%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$72.8 ₡32.8K

$41.14 MX$721

76.93%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$21.44 ₡9,672

$27.74 MX$486

-22.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.10 ₡19.4K

$30.13 MX$528

43.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.12 ₡21.3K

$53.7 MX$941

-12.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.97 ₡10.8K

$25.98 MX$455

-7.74%

Cinema Ticket

$9.68 ₡4,364

$6.49 MX$114

49.15%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$446 ₡201.0K

$437 MX$7,647

2.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,679 ₡3.0M

$10.5K MX$183.1K

-36.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.6 ₡28.2K

$58.3 MX$1,022

7.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.6 ₡22.8K

$45.86 MX$803

10.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 ₡57.3K

$101 MX$1,777

25.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 ₡48.2K

$107 MX$1,866

0.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$551 ₡248.7K

$1,005 MX$17.6K

-45.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$503 ₡227.0K

$634 MX$11.1K

-20.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,859 ₡838.6K

$2,148 MX$37.6K

-13.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,018 ₡459.0K

$1,247 MX$21.8K

-18.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,859 MX$67.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,085 MX$36.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$396 ₡178.4K

$1,072 MX$18.8K

-63.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.17

11.34

-10.32%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Jaco Beach: July 19, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $551 in Jaco Beach and $1,005 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 171% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $40.00 in Jaco Beach vs $54.0 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $295 vs $291, with Mexico City cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Jaco Beach vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jaco Beach is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 171% lower in Mexico City. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $551 in Jaco Beach versus $1,005 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $446 in Jaco Beach versus $437 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Jaco Beach – a meal for two runs $40.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,344 in Jaco Beach versus $1,481 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Jaco Beach but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Jaco Beach the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Jaco Beach is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Jaco Beach and Mexico City are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Jaco Beach gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.